Bernardo O'Higgins

Bernardo O'Higgins (20 August 1778-24 October 1842) was a founding father of Chile who won the Battle of Chacabuco in 1817. From 1817 to 1823 he was the President of Chile.

Biography
The son of Viceroy Ambrosio O'Higgins of the Viceroyalty of Peru, he was of Basque and Irish descent. He was born in the city of Chillan and emerged as a brilliant student after studying for years in fine schools. In 1810 he became a general of the Chilean Army during their revolt against New Spain, and he won a series of battles, but in 1814 he was defeated in the Battle of Tres Acequias by rival rebel Luis Carrera and forced into exile in Argentina. He met Jose de San Martin, a revolutionary general who had maintained control over the country, and San Martin assisted O'Higgins in liberating Chile and Peru by 1821. In 1817 O'Higgins became Director of Chile after the Battle of Chacabuco and maintained the title until 1823, when conservatives under Ramon Freire deposed him.

After his deposition, he left Chile for good in July 1823 and lived in Peru, and after the Battle of Ayacucho, he congratulated General Simon Bolivar, but as a civilian: he said ""America is free. From now on General O'Higgins does not exist; I am only Bernardo O'Higgins, a private citizen. After Ayacucho, my American mission is over."

In 1842 he was rehabilitated by the Chilean government, and was going to be awarded the rank of Captain-General. However, he suffered a cardiac arrest and was too weak to travel, and died.